In order not to make people feel uneasy, Charles remained decently silent after the day's meeting, saying nothing big, not mentioning any reforms, and even occasionally attending departmental meetings, only saying innocuous polite words, as if he had only come here to get a good position.

Seeing Charles do this, the officials secretly felt glad that they were not forced to choose a side, so that no one came to obstruct his official business, so everyone spent a few days together on business, which allowed Charles to slightly integrate into this strange new environment.

After barely settling down, Charles finally began to make a small change, and began to invite some officials to dinner in the name of familiarizing himself with the work. Although everyone knew that Charles must have other intentions in doing this, because it was none of his business, and the Prime Minister Earl Opple did not explicitly apply for it, other officials also pretended not to see it and let Charles do his own private work.

So, unhurriedly, Charles began to make contact with the targets he had been looking for.

Today, Charles was continuing to follow his plan, and he invited a young official to his office for a quick chat.

At this time, Charles sat leisurely on the sand, looking out the window at the square.

Sunlight is cast in the sky, and through the glass onto the teacup, making the tea appear more red, and the light and shadow are intertwined, weaving a half-light and half-dark illusion.

He looked at his pocket watch, it was about to be the scheduled time.

Sure enough, soon there was a soft knock at the door.

"Come in." He ordered indifferently.

The door soon opened. Charles' secretary walked in softly, and he was followed by a man who had been invited by Charles today, a section chief of the Investigation Division of the Personnel Division. Viscount Alex Constantine de Lautrec.

It was punctual and great.

The secretary bowed and then withdrew, and soon the room was left with only Charles and the visitor. The two men looked at each other with interest.

Unlike what Charles had expected, the young man in front of him was not strong, but a little thin and slender, his skin was a little pale, and his hands on the table were not scarred or calloused. Apparently the kind of person who sits indoors for a long time.

Although he wears a military uniform, he does not have the kind of fierceness that many soldiers often have, but has a kind of intellectual modesty. He had maroon hair. Extremely neatly combed, his facial features are very upright, his eyebrows are relatively slender, and he always has a gentle smile on his face. Such a smile. Although it can make people feel happy. But it doesn't seem humble.

Judging by the expressions on the other side, he had neither ill will nor kindness towards Charles, nor did he intend to curry favor, but he was simply curious - but for Charles, that was enough.

"Good afternoon, Mr. de Routrec." Charles nodded in acknowledgment, then gestured to the seat across from his coffee table, "Thank you for taking the time to talk to me." You may be seated. ”

"It is a great honour to meet you, Monsieur de Treville." The young section chief looked back at Charles with a gentle smile. “”

Although the title is not high, the De-Routrec family is an old noble family, a branch of the family of the Count of Fois. In 1511, their ancestor Aude was made Marshal of France by King Louis XII of France for his military success, and the family has been in the army for hundreds of years, only slightly interrupted during the Revolution.

After Napoleon's coup d'état and assuming the position of First Consul, the Lautrec family, who had fled to Genoa, followed Napoleon, who had come to attack Italy.

As we all know, the emperor likes to deal with the old aristocratic family the most, so he generously accepted this famous family, and then recruited Alex's grandfather and father into the emperor's ** team. Although the empire later collapsed, the men of the Lautrec family remained in the army and continued to be employed by the Restoration because of their noble origins. And Alex himself, as the son of the family, also followed the path of his ancestors when he was a teenager and joined the army.

After graduating from the Saint-Cyr Military Academy, he came to work in the 6th Military Department, because his family background is very close to the army, so his career was also smooth, and he soon took up the position of section chief here.

Having said that, an organization such as the Inspection Division of the Personnel Department, which is specifically responsible for inspecting the promotion of officers, can be said to be one of the most important departments of the Sixth Army, and it can be said that it is able to hold a position in it at a young age, although there must be an element of family background -- in this day and age, it is rare for the army not to talk about family history -- and its own ability should also be extremely outstanding, at least it can make other pretenders speechless.

This is definitely not a character who can be easily beaten casually, and after carefully looking at the other party, Charles came to a conclusion in his heart.

Truth be told, though, Charles felt that the man standing before him was more of a scholar than a soldier with the rank of major—this should not be his personal opinion, judging by the nickname "Doctor" given to him by people within the 6th Army, and his other colleagues should have seen it that way. Of course, although he was a little bookish, perhaps because of his lean demeanor, he surprisingly did not give people the impression that "this man is too gentle and weak-willed".

At the same time, according to the intelligence gathered by Charles before, this Mr. Alex de Lautrec is not only strange in appearance and name, but also in other aspects of him, which is also said to be somewhat eccentric, often acting unexpectedly. But even so, he is still recognized as a man of great learning and quick thinking, who is good enough to take on the confidential position he is currently holding, and is qualified to go to the next level.

In keeping with the young official's quirky hobbies, Charles also made some subtle changes in the reception, as evidenced by the black tea on the table – unlike most French people who like to drink coffee. The Viscount of Lautrec liked to drink black tea in the afternoon, which was more like the English habit.

Charles's hard work did not seem to have been in vain. Once he had sat down, the viscount saw the teacup in front of him, and then furled his eyebrows slightly.

"Is it Ceylon tea?"

"Yes." Charles nodded.

"Thank you, sir." As if moved, he smiled and nodded at Charles, then picked up the saucer and cup and took a sip, "Hmm." The taste is very good, and the temperature is just right, which is really top-notch! ”

"These are all brought to me by a friend after he came back from India. I heard that you like black tea, so I used it by the way. If you think you can, I've got some more here that you can take back later. Charles replied with the same smile, "We don't usually drink much anyway." You take it away and save it from waste. ”

"Oh. Thank you then! Viscount Lautrec directly agreed, without any polite words.

There is neither pushing, nor the nervousness of talking to high-ranking officials, and he is really a person with a strange personality. No, it's not so much weird as the casualness of a smart person who has a lot of confidence in himself.

A person who is highly confident and direct. Charles was secretly judging in his heart.

"Mr. Lautrek, I thought it was a little strange when I first saw your name." To make the atmosphere more casual and casual, Charles deliberately asked a personal question. "You've heard that before, right? The name sounds a bit like a Russian one. ”

"Oh. That's what everybody says. Actually, the reason is very simple. It's because of my dad. The viscount took another sip of tea.

"Huh?"

"Like your grandfather, my dad took part in that unfortunate campaign against Russia, of course, your grandfather was a general at the time, and he was only a lieutenant. He took part in those famous battles, and then froze unconscious in the snow and ice, like thousands of the same officers and soldiers - of course, he survived in the end, otherwise there would have been no me......" Viscount Lautrec smiled self-deprecatingly, "he was saved by a Russian peasant who took his gold watch, but saved his life, and in gratitude to this peasant named Constantine, my father, after returning home and getting married, decided to give his child such a name...... ”

"I see." Charles suddenly realized, "It's really an interesting past." ”

After the two of them talked about this interesting incident, the atmosphere became much more relaxed than before. Charles also took advantage of the situation to ask the other party some questions about tea, and the viscount also answered all questions with a very easy-going attitude.

After chatting for a while, seeing that the time was ripe, Charles decided to cut to the chase.

"Mr. Lautrec, let's leave the tea matter later......" After taking a sip of tea, Charles looked at the other party seriously, "I have come to you, and I have more important questions for you." ”

Looking at Charles's expression that suddenly became stern, Viscount Lautrec still put on that smile and finished the tea in the cup, looking unsurprised.

"Excuse me, I'll listen."

"Your grandfather and father both joined the army of His Majesty the Emperor, and you must be no stranger to the glory of our country. I would like to ask, from your point of view, which is more in line with your wishes, the Empire and the polities that follow it, whether it be a Restoration dynasty or a republic? ”

Charles's question was very direct, almost explicit.

However, it stands to reason that the most popular words in a soldier are honor, brilliance, and merit, so in order to impress him, Charles started directly from this aspect.

However, the reaction from the other side was not as good as Charles thought, and it was still the kind of smile that rejected people.

"Well...... I'm sorry, I didn't think much about it......" He leisurely stretched out his white slender hand, the teapot grip he held, and gently poured himself a cup of tea, "You also know that as a soldier, this is not something I should think about. ”

The other party was a little defensive, but Charles didn't find it strange.

"It's just a personal issue, you don't have to worry, just say what you think." Charles replied with a smile, and then poured himself another cup of tea. "We are all descendants of the emperor's ** official, don't we even have the qualifications to comment on the empire?"

"If I had to say it...... I should say that the empire is a mixture of amazing achievements and amazing mistakes. It's brilliant, but it's also scorching. After a moment of silence, Viscount Lautrec replied, "That genius has brought us to the pinnacle of honor. But it also brought us to the brink of destruction. Fortunately, we don't need geniuses to pull us away anymore. ”

His answer made Charles frown slightly.

What does he mean by that?

It may not sound like a particularly good impression of Napoleon, so the likelihood that he would go with Louis Bonaparte is much less. Charles's heart suddenly felt a little cold.

"Oh, don't get me wrong, I'm not saying I hate the Emperor, in fact I admire that genius...... But admire him. It is not the same thing as agreeing with his deeds. Napoleon went crazy in the last years of the empire, and the terrible thing was that no one could stop him, so he took the whole country to the Jedi. It almost collapsed the nation. Can't it be said that this is his fault? The Viscount took another sip of tea, his tone was very gentle, but it did not carry any emotion, as if an outsider was commenting objectively.

Now the charr is still after the groan. Viscount Lautrec continued.

"Let's be honest. I know exactly what you really mean to us. Sir, it is understandable that you want to co-opt us for the sake of Mr. President and the party to which you belong. But, sir, I am not an easy person to get excited, and you can't infect me with honors, let alone discounted ones. ”

Sure enough, it's not so easy to convince...... After being hit with a soft nail, Charles was not angry. I just smiled bitterly in my heart.

That's right, before the age of thirty, he served as a section chief in such a key department as the Personnel Bureau. It's not as amazing as Charles' state secretary in his early twenties, but it's enough to be the envy of others. At the very least, his knowledge and talent should be speechless, and he will not be emotional.

"Well, it's really my fault to knock you on the side." Charles smiled and threw aside the unpleasantness, "So, don't you want to support the Bonapartes in regaining control of France?" ”

"Not really." Viscount Lautrec gave Charles another surprise reply.

Charles stared back at the other, waiting for his next step.

"Mr. President is not a genius, I don't think he has the ambition and conceit of his uncle, he will not take us to the enemy of Europe again, he will rely on the army, but he will also be cautious, and will not force us to the Jedi...... If the speech you made before was also his thoughts. ”

"You've seen my speech, too?" Charles did not expect that his speeches on the balance of power in Europe and the status of France would be able to spread so widely.

"It was published in the newspaper, and I read it carefully." Viscount Lautrec smiled and nodded, "Very interesting remarks, and to my liking. At least, I did not see in it a Napoleon Bonaparte, who was desperately trying to drag the country to collapse with him, but a Louis Bonaparte who was ready to take the crown by stratagem and, if necessary, by force, which, I must say, was not as dazzling as that dazzle, but at least less dangerous. ”

But they all collapsed, Charles said coldly in his heart.

"So, I'm not very rejecting his idea if he has to rebuild the empire." Viscount Lautrec replied leisurely, "If I have to give an answer, I honestly approve of it. ”

"But aren't you going to take action?" Charles understood.

The Viscount shrugged.

I don't want to participate or stop it, I just want to be a neutral person, which is indeed the choice of a smart person.

"You're young and smart, aren't you destined for a better future?" Charles decided to try it with an inducement, "Monsieur Bonaparte attaches great importance to the army, and he wants to do his best to expand the strength and influence of the army......"

"Do your best?"

"Yes, in order to save the country, Mr. President believes that the entire country and the army need to be renovated and an efficient and authoritative leadership mechanism needs to be established. I also advised him that in order to increase the size of the army, we should expand it as much as we need, and eventually make it superior to the army of any country, and we have the financial and material resources to do so. Charles subtly lured the other party, "Well, wouldn't it be better for you to be in such an army that has never been seen before?" Can you use your talents more? ”

"Did you really advise him like that?" Viscount Lautrec looked at Charles inquiringly. "Do you really think that for us, the bigger the army, the better?"

"What's wrong?"

"If you're a smart person, you still have this naïve view. That's a bit of a surprise. The Viscount looked at Charles with a smile, "But, yes, you're a layman, so of course you have some such thoughts." ”

"What the hell are you trying to say?" Charles looked at the place a little strangely.

"Sir, we are all nobles, and there are only two of us here. So let's be honest. Viscount Lautrec took another sip of tea unhurriedly, "The army's preservation is first and foremost to ensure the stability and interests of the country. That is, the interests of people like us. What's the point of a saber no matter how sharp it is, if it's not in our hands? It could even be said to be even more terrifying. ”

Charles didn't answer, just listened quietly.

"The most important soul of an army is the non-commissioned officers and officers. And for our benefit. We have to make sure that the majority of the officers are from among us. Other words. It had to be a nobleman, or some bourgeois family. There are more than 30 million people in this country, but the upper class like ours is only one-eighth or even one-tenth. Viscount Lautrek's voice was still very gentle, like a teacher teaching students, "Think about it, if most of the officers are not among our people. In the event of another mob riot in Paris, as in 1848, can we be sure that the army will suppress the mob for the benefit of the upper classes? Do you think it's good to repeat the tragedy of guillotining your ancestors and your grandfather being forced into exile? ”

At last. Viscount Lautrec looked at Charles again.

"Fundamentally, then, we need a national army, but not a national army, sir."

Charles was slightly stunned.

It's a tough question, but it gets to the point.

Charles finally showed up, and it turned out that he had made a cognitive mistake.

Due to certain fixed understandings in the previous life, he has always tacitly acquiesced to the premise that "militarists must want to have a large army, the bigger the better", but he forgot that there was a fundamental premise, that is, "in this era, militarists, and a large number of people, were also aristocratic rulers." ”

For the empire and its aristocracy, of course, it relied heavily on armies and force, but would they therefore think that more troops were better?

I'm afraid not necessarily.

There is no shortage of examples in history, such as the German Empire, which won the Franco-Prussian War.

It stands to reason that after using universal compulsory military service to amass an unprecedentedly large army and defeat France, the Germans should have always regarded this magic weapon as a guideline, but it is a pity that after the founding of the German Empire, until the outbreak of the First World War, the German Empire was a system of universal compulsory military service in name only.

At that time, it had a male population of about 60,000 born per year, and according to the requirement of three years of compulsory military service, it should have maintained an army of nearly 20,000 men at all times, when in reality it had only a standing army of 870,000 men until the start of the war.

At the same time, France, where fewer than 30,000 men are born each year, maintains a standing army of 80,000 men, and almost every man of appropriate age is put into the army. From this point of view, the German Empire, which was known for its militarism, could not be called "reckless militarism."

Is it because there is not enough money? No, Germany was in a good financial position to have a much larger army at the time, after all, even Tsarist Russia, which was extremely financially distressed, maintained a standing army of 13o men.

The real reason was that there were no longer enough nobles and children of the bourgeoisie to serve as officers, and the size of the army was limited for the benefit of the most reactionary and militaristic groups in the German Empire.

Although the Junker aristocracy at that time devoted almost all of their sons to the army as non-commissioned officers, only about one-third of the junior officers in the German Empire were from aristocratic backgrounds, and only two-thirds were from bourgeois backgrounds, which could be regarded as maintaining control over the army - of course, the positions of senior officers were basically held by the aristocracy.

It was only after the outbreak of the World War, due to the infinite increase in the demand for troops, that the German Empire continued to expand its army. At first, these countries thought that they would only need to fight for a few months, but they miscalculated, and Germany alone finally mobilized a total of 130,000 people in four years. These empires, several times more than ten times the size of the army, but also made the common people become the main body of middle and low-level officers.

Because of this, the dynastic rule of the German Empire, the Austro-Hungarian Empire, and the Russian Empire disappeared in the war.

It makes sense to say that these dynasties fell because of their defeats, but the real essence has not yet been revealed.

Why did Russia and Austria often lose wars in the past, but did not destroy entire dynasties, while the First World War led to their eventual demise?

For in the past, even if the war was lost, the army was still in the hands of the aristocracy and could still be used to suppress the revolt (as was the case in Russia after the Russo-Japanese War), while the total war changed the majority of officers from nobles to commoners - that is, these dynasties perished, not only because they were defeated, but also because the army was practically no longer in the hands of the nobility and could no longer be used as an instrument for suppressing domestic revolutions.

It is therefore quite clear that for an empire, all-out war means that the army, the most powerful instrument of class rule, falls from the upper classes to the common people, and if it is won, there is still hope that the dividends of war will be used to relieve the internal pressures, and then to lead the post-war recovery of the army, and to regain the dominance of the nobility among the officers; If defeated, the empire and its aristocracy would be doomed to ruin in a plebeian uprising, which could not be suppressed by force.

From this point of view, once the full-scale expansion of the army and the general war begin, the empire will have only two paths to victory, victory and destruction.

It is therefore only natural for a visionary among the aristocracy to consider the full introduction of universal compulsory military service and the vigorous expansion of the army as De Lautrec did - rather that Charles himself was a little unusual.

For them, it is better to cede land and pay reparations to Prussia and then bloody Paris to suppress the Paris Commune than to let the common people gain power.

It was not until the Third Republic, after thwarting the restoration plot of the 6th Army, that the republicans were able to transform the army, and then through methods such as the two-year universal military service system and the continuous expansion of the number of civilian officers, they finally turned the French 6th Army into the so-called "national army", fully realizing the true all-out war - maintaining a standing army of 8o thousand with a population of less than 4ooo and mobilizing 8oo thousand people during the war.

So the question is, for me, is it better to "the army of the nation" or is it better to "the army of the people"?

Charles fell into deep thought.

It was clear that there was no point in continuing the persuasion work now, so Charles shifted the subject and began the real small talk.

It was already afternoon, the shadows of the sun were getting longer and longer, and the golden sunset was shining through the window, dyeing the whole house with an illusory color. The afternoon tea for two people also came to an end.

"Well, it's a very pleasant small talk." Viscount Lautrec stood up.

"Goodbye, then, Monsieur de Treville."

"Goodbye." Charles nodded.

This man was indeed smart and far-sighted, albeit an aristocratic ruler. It would be great if you could help me.

Looking at the emaciated back of the other party's departure, Charles thought to himself. (To be continued!)

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